When have A/B comparisons led you astray?

Esthetics aren’t always something of primary import to folks. Especially me. To a degree sure. They seldom play a part in my decisions as to cabling, or isolation.

Take cables for example. No longer do I bring in several brands or models within a brand or brands, at any one time, to examine, audition, or determine which one I’d want to buy next.

I bring in no more than two. Usually of similar or predisposed application or intended purpose. Often I’ve never seen either of these cables. I can’t read the print on them and always ask for the maker to place tape on their downstream ends, well save for power cords. Lol

So I’m going “in the dark” or flying blind during my tests usually with cables.

I take notes. Use the same software, listen at the same times of day, etc., keeping my regimen as close to what I’d normally do.

I try one sort or set at a time. For days and days, perhaps a week or well past the run in times. I don’t swap ‘em in and out readily. Although I can actually A/B two pr by going out of my DAC which has two active outputs, and switching from one source selection to another on my line stage preamp.

As I have more than one ready to go system, both sets of cables are reasonably up and ready most often. The interim for critical listening therefore is minimal.

What I feel is missing from the seemingly more immediate, A/B switching I could do, is this… warming up time. Sure I can swap from one input to another wherein only the cables are the difference, not the source, amp, speakers, etc. But you see, I am not including the greater length of playing time the one set has over the other set of ICs. So I keep to the above mmethodology. Try one item at a time and take notes.

The things that confuse me, or dilute these auditions results are simple… I’m testing more than one item at a time…. Not waiting for the item to be fully run in… not using the same music… not taking notes… not putting the orig item which is possibly going to be replace, back into the system and listening critically once more as if it were new…. Being in a hurry due to the setting, circumstances, or an all too brief period to make a decision was allotted by the dealership, or the maker of the product.

If I’m not comfortable with my decision I won’t pull the trigger.

Normally, if no peeking was bing done prior to the first listen, you’ll notice the obvious diffs right away. The real trick is to figure out if the diffs are better or worse diffs. All that matters is you like them…. Or not.

Another item of concern should be going out to live musical events, periodically. Outside or inside. But ‘live’ for sure! It’s good to flex the eardrums, not to injure them, by getting out and hearing new music, and environments. It’s about as important IMHO, to buy music you don’t ordinarily buy. It also doesn’t hurt to run a test disc now and again, and take some measurements, especially if you run an all tubes setup. Or to check the bias if it’s checkable.

I bought one pr of speakers a goodly while back and won’t mention their name here, which I heard and loved at first audition. Absolutely loved that sound! Hands down, the best sound I’d heard in my life. It wasn’t the speakers so much as it was the front end making the audio signal.

These speakers were as well half the price or a bit better thn half the price of some other's I had just spent listening to for a couple hours. Same brand, different models.

Later I bought those speakers recalling their sound and thinking to myself, “those units are capable of outstanding sound! All I gotta do is give them good source and power.”

I made a mistake then. I tried to emulate that $30K system's gear, front to back, and was unsuccessful. Completely. It took me about two full years of avidly trying this and that to get them to work well. Once I DID… I SOLD THEM.

Live and learn. I know now, what’s in front of the speakers is as or more important than the speakers themselves.

One mistake I actually avoided was this, … I went to a particular local dealer and waited for better than an hour, nearly two, and then I was given a five minute demo of music THEY selected, while attempting to buy a $3500 Ayre preamp, new. In fact the salesperson would rather not have turned the thing on I believe. Half a dozen times he asked if I would buy it that day?

My response was always the same, “That’s sort of like buying shoes without trying them on, isn’t it? If I am unable to hear it I’m sure I won’t buy it. But if you turn it on and let me hear it, you stand a far better chance of getting a sale than if you do not.”

They did not allow for in home auditions or free trials, but if brought back in less than 10 days, they’d only charge you I think, a 10% restocking fee… and credit the balance for some other purchase.

For whatever reason the salesperson didn’t seem to care for my answer. Although I had the cash in my pocket, and it was a very popular preamp at the time, I didn’t buy it. Nor will I go back to that dealer. Ever.

Following that incident, I stumbled across the opportunity to buy my current line stage preamp, and feel it’s the best purchase sound quality wise, I’ve ever been acquired. So in essence, it all worked out for me ultimately.

Blindjim - wow! Thanks for the answer, everybody.
It's a strange fish to fry, isn't it?
What I do is forget all about A/B'ng. I'm more with Elizabeth on this one. I just make a change.
I DO NOT LIKE Stereo Stores and if they're scared to turn it on, what about me?
Let IT GO!
So far I have been moving towards the dry which is nice in a wet climate?
Seriously, though, thought does go into it.
I read in another post a serious exposition that to know less is more - or ignorance is bliss?? What I know of musicians minds is that they are better at integrating the R and L halves of their brains than just about anybody else. (Could this be tested with the Stroop test?)
I'm confused by things that don't make sense, and there are a lot of things within music that do make a lot of sense. They are usually what the music is about -impressionism aside.
I'm sorry to digress. These are source issues.
So what do YOU say?

Only after I got married.

Sure, this is a broad topic... It's a struggle for me to remember what it was like before I was married.
But what I am interested in here is comparisons made within a Stereo System.
I do think that my impressions at least 1 week after a change has been made are more useful than my initial impressions - at least sometimes. This is one of the areas where it gets sticky. There are so many variables that initially a change for the worse may be a change for the better. But where do you get off this wheel?
For example, if you add a cable from the D/A that dries things out - it may sound worse, but is that a good thing?
The most I can say is that the more I am aware of the effects each component has on the sound the more I can perhaps predict the change the swap will make.
In the end is there no reality to this artificial medium?
I hear that 78's are awesome! I have some experience with Mono and I have heard at times more reality with my system in that format than I have ever heard from stereo.

Mikewerner

RE: “Where do you get off?”

Right now perhaps?

However, I’d suppose, wherever you feel suits you. Where You have no further desires to implement change (s). Be it at that point a blissfully rendering musical system is what you then own, or you’ve just plain run out of enthusiasm for it’s hunt and acquisition…. Or again, you’re finally OK with what you have in front of you.

I think being happy with what we have instead of wanting what we don’t have is the deal. How obsessive compulsive you are plays into this as well… as does how deep are your pockets and your patience and tolerance levels.

As for the system matching aspects, I would bet very very often, If I took a few pieces of my system to some other person’s house, and inserted them/it into his or her rig, the results could go either way… better, so so, or even worse than was the norm previously.!

I try to optimize my systems as per their individual needs at the time, based upon my perception of it’s shortcomings, and my own preffs for hearing music. Consequently, introducing some parts of my rig to another can alter the secondary rig to sound brighter or dryer, as an example, perhaps. Such results aren’t always the case of course, but could be.

I think it’s about optimization. The same piece of gear setup one way on one system, can produce different outcomes on some other arrangement and setup. I also get the overwhelming impression that many hobbyists strive towards a certain sound. Not necessarily a flat and neutral sound throughout. I did. I don’t now though. I went from one extreme to another. From crystalline, bright, analytical and vivid, to warm, dark and liquid. Now to as much resolution and detail within the confines of the music being played that it remain quite revealing, but musical as well. So I now push the boundaries of the gear I possess. Eeking out as much info as it can deliver, while adhereing to musicality as the deciding or determining factor if push comes to shove. Always I’ll choose musical ease over uber revelatory reproductions. Riding the line in between them seems more my concern lately…. And I’m very satisfied with the results I currently enjoy. Only a couple finer points remain that I’d care to address, or add to the fray. Like a dedicated 7.1 processor, and another power cord or two perhaps. Maybe some replacement outlets as well, by and by.

Consequently, I’m in no hurry to apply these ideas or add those desired items. Therefore, I feel I’m a pretty happy camper lately with regard to the results I get regularly from my main stereo and mostly from those others I own..

Because it’s a past time, a hobby, some will continue to try a this or a that as they come out. Just for fun maybe, or for personal enlightenment. Possibly for bettering their own gig. It’s just another facet to this sideline. Whichever way one goes, with earnest sincerity, or as cavalier as one could imagine, it’s a hobby. Not a race or competition. It should always amuse, entertain, interest, possibly fascinate at times, and ultimately satisfy the enthusiast along the way or at least eventually. If it does not I’d submit they find some other activity that will.

Everything matters. How much everything matters and in what way, is the curiosity that drives this and many other hobbies.